


Berceuse

by paperfeathers



Series: Safety in Numbers [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: 9.14 coda, Hurt Sam Winchester, M/M, Protective Lucifer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-02
Updated: 2014-03-02
Packaged: 2018-01-14 06:48:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1256812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperfeathers/pseuds/paperfeathers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam has trouble sleeping. Lucifer tries to help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Berceuse

They’re lying in bed together, fully-clothed. Or rather, Sam’s lying down with his back turned to Lucifer, while the Devil’s half-leaning against the headboard with a book propped up on one knee. Sam’s eyes are shut, but try as he might he can’t get to sleep. Try as he might, he can’t get the grief and anger on Linda Tran’s face out of his head.

He can feel the faint chill emanating from Lucifer, but he doesn’t try to get close, doesn’t try to touch him. It’s been months since the night he had forced Gadreel out of his body, but for all the time that had passed the wounds were still open, still festering.  Dean’s expression after Kevin had gone off with his mom… Sam does his best to push it out of his mind, fighting to keep down the wave of resentment, anger, and hurt betrayal threatening to engulf him. Telling himself there’s no use thinking about it now, and dammit didn’t he deserve at least a decent night’s sleep after everything? But he’s always been his worst demon. So with a sigh he gives up on sleep entirely, opening his eyes and rubbing his face with his palm.

“Sam?” Sam turns bleary eyes to the archangel perched – no better word for it, really – beside him. There’s an unspoken question on his face. He sighs again. “No. I’m not all right. Can’t sleep.” He says a little roughly. He doesn’t really know when he started trusting the Devil with his emotional state, but he’ll be damned if he starts contemplating that  _now,_ on top of everything else.

For a moment there’s only silence on Lucifer’s end. But when Sam half-rises from the bed, blearily weighing the pros and cons of researching about the veil until he passes out, Lucifer places his hand on his arm.

“Wait…”

Sam freezes in surprise. Lucifer’s hand is cold, but not uncomfortably so. It’s more soothing than anything else. For a second Sam’s eyes meet his. Lucifer looks almost as surprised as he does, and Sam can see a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. But a moment later he’s composed his features into their usual neutral calm.

 “Can I try something?” Sam looks at him warily. “Try what?” he asks. Lucifer smiles a little sadly at the distrust on Sam’s face. “I promise not to do anything I know you wouldn’t want me to.” He says. “But you haven’t had a proper sleep in months, and this might help.”

Sam’s still wary, still more than a little suspicious. Slowly, he lies back down. Limbs stiff and eyes open. “When I say stop…” “Then I’ll stop.” Lucifer promises. “I’m not doing anything that has the slightest possibility of hurting you.”  Sam relaxes at that infinitesimally. And if he wasn’t so tired he really should be worried that he’s starting to take the Devil on his word, but Lucifer’s never lied to him. So what the hell, indeed. “All right, then.” He finally says. Settles back against the pillow and waits.

Lucifer lifts his hand away from his arm, and Sam feels a strange sense of loss at that. But a moment later he feels gentle fingers drifting through his hair. In spite of himself the knotted muscles of his back loosen and relax, and he lets out a quiet exhale of relief. Lucifer’s touch is half-curious, half-reverent. Comforting. Sam finds himself leaning into it, turning towards him. His eyes slip half-shut, and that’s when Lucifer starts to sing.

It’s quiet, a little raspy. Nick’s vocal chords weren’t made for pronouncing Enochian, after all. But it’s soothing and gentle, the soft melody bringing to mind quiet, starlit nights and summer breezes rushing through trees. It’s also strangely, achingly familiar, like the memory of being held in someone’s arms as a child. Despite the soft weight of sleep starting to press down on him Sam looks up through heavy eyelids. There’s a strange, tired softness on Lucifer’s face, and his hand is cool where it cups Sam’s cheek.

“I’ve heard this before, haven’t I?” Sam asks quietly. Lucifer nods. “It’s an old lullaby my brothers and I used to sing to the fledglings back home.” He replies gently. “I used to sing this to you when you were very, very small.”

 He should feel alarmed and horrified at that confession, even perhaps disgusted with how deeply Lucifer’s presence had been ingrained in his life. But right now Sam’s floating in a web of comfort and safety, the soft notes of the lullaby thrumming in him, in the  remnants of Lucifer’s grace twined so deeply with his being that it may very well be part of him. “How come I don’t remember?” he mumbles drowsily. Lucifer shakes his head. “You couldn’t have been more than two years old. And the times I was able to slip partway out of the Cage were few and far-between. Dean’s not the only one with an angel watching over him, Sam.” He says softly, gently brushing wayward strands of hair away from Sam’s forehead. Sam watches him through half-closed eyes. “I’m sorry I haven’t been much of a guardian angel, but I promise you. This time, I will protect you.” His hand curls protectively around the back of Sam’s head. “Metatron and Gadreel will pay for everything they did to you.”

Sam doesn’t answer, only looks at him from heavy-lidded eyes. But after a while they drift shut, and he sighs. In relief, in gratitude, perhaps both.“Thank you.” He murmurs so quietly that Lucifer barely hears it. A few seconds later, his breathing deepens, the lines on his face easing. For the first time since Lucifer had held him in his arms as a child, he’s sound asleep. Completely at peace.

Lucifer doesn’t let go of him for the rest of the night. 


End file.
